With the dust starting to settle around Justice League's theatrical run, it has become reasonably clear to many that the film didn't live up to its lofty expectations. Justice League's box office left quite a bit to be desired, and some have pointed fingers at the film's abridged runtime and cut sequences as possible culprits for a perceived sub-par product. This led to a "Release the Snyder Cut" protest outside of the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank, California this past weekend, and a picture has surfaced online showing how many people actually showed up. Check out the photo of the event, below.
So as you can see, it's not a sweeping mob of people angrily demanding for another version of Justice League. All told, that photo features 13 people. However, that's also kind of the point. From the very beginning, this protest was planned as a small and peaceful gathering of fans (complete with some cool costumes) looking to celebrate Zack Snyder more than disparage Warner Bros. They capped off the protest with that picture of a poster which reads: "#ReleaseTheSnyderCut," but we will have to wait and see if this demonstration actually leads to anything from anyone at the studio.
The debate over whether or not to see a Snyder Cut of Justice League released has already been touched upon by several Warner Bros. insiders since the film's initial debut in theaters. Some, like Justice League cinematographer Fabian Wagner, have said that they would like to see one get released, and even Snyder himself voiced support for the petition at one point, although his actual opinion on a Snyder Cut was never made explicitly clear.
Recent history has also shown us that an extended cut of a Zack Snyder-directed superhero movie can really work wonders in places where a theatrical cut may have fallen short. The Ultimate Edition of last year's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice has become widely-hailed as the superior cut of the film since its home release, and the extended cuts of Watchmen have all developed strong fanbases over the course of the last decade.
However, on the other side of the argument presented by this photo, it's worth acknowledging that this idea might not be feasible, even if it receives universal support from fans and critics. Other Warner Bros. insiders have spoken out about the possibility of a Snyder Cut and explained that, while several sequences were cut from Justice League, nothing substantial enough to form a different version of the movie ended up on the cutting room floor. If true, this would potentially indicate that the film released in theaters more or less lines up with Snyder's original vision, and would negate the need for a new cut.
Justice League is still in the process of finishing up its theatrical run in a handful of theaters, so if you haven't already, make sure to check out our in-depth review of the film and see it for yourself! As for the Snyder Cut, only time will tell if Warner Bros. will decide to release it or if one even exists. Elsewhere in the DCEU, James Wan's Aquaman will debut in theaters later this year on December 21.
